cs6687 wrote:I agree on every team except Ottawa. Boston will be a playoff team.

fair enough. i was giving more of a rough estimate. i think a healthy boston team makes it as well. Bergeron's return won't hurt and another year in their system can only help. i wonder what ottawa team is going to play this year.

Man that sucks I just re-subscribed to the Sporting News and the issues haven't started coming yet. Figures I miss the hockey preview. That's pretty much the only time they have more than a few paragraphs about hockey.

Daniel87 wrote:Man that sucks I just re-subscribed to the Sporting News and the issues haven't started coming yet. Figures I miss the hockey preview. That's pretty much the only time they have more than a few paragraphs about hockey.

My bad, Dan. I should've mentioned this is the magazine preview you can pick up at a bookstore.

cs6687 wrote:If Cam Ward can quit playing average in goal, Carolina wins the Southeast. They have been hit by the injury bug pretty hard in each of the last two seasons.

...i'm calling the canes to win the southeast, the craps will then take the 6-7 or 8 seed...

you're really picking 2 teams from the southeast to make the playoffs? really?

...sure, why not?...i actually see one of the atlantic teams missing out this year (either jersey or nyr)...so that leaves the pens, flyers, one of jersey or nyr, montreal, carolina, washington, ottawa and buffalo/boston...that makes 8!...

What we know for sure is that there are 4 teams that are pretty much guaranteed to suck...

Atlanta
Florida
Toronto
NY Islanders

4 teams that are pretty much guaranteed to be very good

Pittsburgh
Montreal
NY Rangers
Philadelphia

and 7 teams fighting in the middle for the other 4 playoff spots

New Jersey
Washington
Carolina
Tampa Bay
Ottawa
Boston
Buffalo

my guess is NJ, Washington, Carolina, and either Ottawa or Boston get in.

Tampa finishes 11th when they realize that brutal D and mediocre goaltending don't cut it in this league, Buffalo comes in around the 10 spot, and Ottawa, Boston, Carolina, and Washington fight for the 3, 7, and 8 spots

Pittsburgh (no reason to think this team will regress)
Washington (Destroys a weak SE division)
Montreal (Fights with Boston for the division)
Flyers (I am not sold on them just yet, way too inconsistent)
Boston (Wildcard team for the year)
Rangers (They lost a lot and completely changed the makup of the team but they sqeak in)
Devils (They got a solid wall in front of the net that plays 82 games)

Near Misses
Carolina (only reason they are close is because of the weak southeast)
Ottawa (Just continue the downward spiral)
Buffalo (not sure they can make up for there recent losses just yet)

No Real Chance outside of a Cinderella season

Tampa Bay (made bold moves but not sure they where the right ones)
Atlanta (they will be fun to watch and Lethonen will win a few for them)
Florida (This could be a surprise team, but not likely)
Islanders (They need 5 years and some offense)
Toronto (Laughing stock of the league)

Daniel87 wrote:Man that sucks I just re-subscribed to the Sporting News and the issues haven't started coming yet. Figures I miss the hockey preview. That's pretty much the only time they have more than a few paragraphs about hockey.

My bad, Dan. I should've mentioned this is the magazine preview you can pick up at a bookstore.